Disclaimer: I do not own the characters from Dr. Quinn Medicine Woman. The rights to those characters and to the show belong to the creators of the show, to CBS, The Sullivan Company and to A&E.

The Places to Love

Chapter Thirteen

"Dammit," Sully swore under his breath as he glanced at clock in the dashboard for probably the hundredth time in the last ten minutes.

Robert E cut his eyes over at him. "Impatient, aren't we?" His tone was jovial but he quickly sobered given the look on Sully's face.

Sully frowned – frustrated at how the day had gone. They left the convention a little early to beat rush hour traffic in the city only to find that a major accident had both sides of the freeway backed up for miles. He'd called Michaela to tell her that he would be delayed a bit, hoping to make up the time on the interstate. Yet night construction there had meant they again were slowed down. "Sorry," he sighed. "Guess I ain't very good company tonight.

With a soft chuckle, Robert E nodded his head. "You're ready to be home. Been feelin' that way myself. Plus you're a newlywed." He raised his eyebrows as he said this last bit. "This is the first time you two been apart. Bet it was harder than you expected."

"Yeah," he said with a shake of his head. "Still at this rate it's gonna be ten for we get into town."

A deep chuckle sounded in Sully's ears and he turned to look at his friend questioningly. "Michaela's probably waiting up for you."

He gave a little shrug of his shoulders already feeling the disappointment and tension settling in his lower back. Sully rested his head against the cool glass of the car window, sighing audibly and feeling sorry for himself. The next hour passed very slowly as Robert E tried hard to start conversation after conversation until he finally gave up. When they pulled up in front of the condo, Robert E was only too happy to say goodnight.

Begrudgingly, Sully stomped up the stairs, sighing once again as he opened the front door to a darkened apartment. He tried to relax as he entered, telling himself that she was still awake. And even if she wasn't, it would be nice just to be able to sleep in the same bed with her.

He passed the kitchen table, perfectly set with the good china, wine glasses, and candles that were never lit.

"Sully?"

Swallowing hard, Sully thought he had imagined her voice. He took another step toward the bedroom as he saw a light go on. "Sully?" This time her voice was a little nervous.

"It's me," he said almost breathlessly. Quickly he crossed the room and stood in the doorway looking over at the bed. "I thought you were asleep."

Michaela rose and walked towards him with a wide grin on her face. "Did you really think I'd be asleep?"

Letting his eyes, run over her body he could feel his pants becoming uncomfortable.
She was wearing a little pink nightie short enough that he could see her panties. "It's been a very long time," she whispered.

"Too long," he replied as her hands went to his neck, his settling on her waist. Michaela kissed him lightly before pulling back a little to look up at him.

"I've missed you… missed us."

They kissed again. Sully flicked his tongue over her inviting lips and was rewarded as she opened her mouth to him. Their tongues danced together for a moment before she pulled away once more, her hands already pulling his shirt tail from his pants. Sully's eyes were smoldering with desire, the blue bright even in the semi dark room. The telltale signs of arousal were present in his wife – the flushed cheeks, hardened nipples, increased respiration.

"I want you," she said in a deep animalistic tone before looking down shyly as if caught doing something naughty. Sully looked over at the bed, noticing the tangled sheets, comforter askew.

"What were you doing?"

"I was restless. I was missing you…." The thought of his wife thinking of him while she was alone, perhaps even touching herself aroused him further. She looked up as he pulled her flush against him once more. Clinging to her, he shimmied out of his pants, letting them fall to the floor as his hands were already on the bare flesh of her back. "Are you hungry?" she asked coyly. "I've saved you some dinner."

"Michaela." The timbre of her voice told her everything she needed to know – there would be time for food later. Right now the only thing they each wanted was the other. Grinding against him, she kissed him again. Sully lifted her and she immediately wrapped both legs around him as he carried her to the bed.

The phone rang at that moment but neither even noticed, lost completely in the other. The pink underwear was gone in a matter of seconds, joining Sully's boxer briefs on the floor at the foot of the bed. His shirt was still on as was her nightie when they came together. This first coupling was hasty, each searching only to quench the hunger that had constantly gnawed at them over the last few weeks. Michaela was as anxious as he was, meeting each of his movements with her own. It wasn't long before they were gasping for breath, each making noises of pleasure that urged the other one forward.

"Sully," she cried out as she pushed against him, her body suddenly shuttering underneath his. That was Sully's undoing as well and within moments he was spent and collapsed on top of her kissing the area just under her earlobe. Michaela shifted a little underneath him and he pulled back. "Am I hurtin' ya?"

"No, stay just like you are," she whispered running her fingernails softly up and down his shirt covered back. "I've missed you so much."

Sully nodded and rested himself against her once more. "I thought we'd never get home. I wasn't very pleasant in the car."

Michaela laughed softly. "Well you can apologize to Robert E tomorrow." Sully's legs settled on either side of hers and he pushed up on the bed so that he knelt over her. Michaela watched as he finished unbuttoning his shirt, her hands now on the outside of his thighs.

"It's warm in here." He moved off of her and strode across the room in the nude to open the windows. Michaela couldn't help but smile watching him in the dim light. She too sat up and shed her nightie, wanting to be skin to skin with him when he returned. "Want something to drink?"

"Just some water."

Sully moved back to the bed and leaned down to kiss her. "Be right back." The ease of being naked with a man amazed her. She had always felt like it would be awkward, unnatural but with Sully that was never true. Good to his word, he returned a moment later with two tall glasses of ice water and a dinner roll hanging out of his mouth.

"Sully let me fix you something to eat," she offered again as he handed her the water.

He shook his head and finished chewing. "No, I'm not really that hungry. Sides I just want to be with you for now. Plenty of time to eat later."

Michaela didn't argue but took a long drink of her water, tensing as a drop rolled down the glass and hit her stomach. Sully laughed watching her and then took a drink of his capturing an ice cube in his mouth. He moved over towards her, pressing her to lay back which she willingly did. Unaware that he had a piece of ice in his mouth, she was surprised when instead of his lips, a wet coolness dotted the skin just above her navel. "Sully!"

Smiling, he traced a path up her abdomen with the ice, lighting a fire in her once again. Michaela's hands ran up and down his arms as he began to kiss the valley between her breasts, the ice now melted. Stopping for a moment, he rested his chin against her looking up into her face. "How's Matthew?"

"Hmm?"

"Matthew – our neighbor. His mother died." He had a playful look on his face that made Michaela shake her head.

"It's been a rough few days. His father flew in which I think is making things worse."

"They don't get along?"

"He's a bit of a jerk," Michaela scoffed. "I met him last night and then again this morning. I was just leaving for work and had to come back into the apartment cause the phone rang. When I looked up he had lethimself in."

"He came in to the apartment?" Sully sat up, a look of concern on his face. Michaela nodded, suddenly looking unsure of herself. "Did he bother you?"

"No," she said quickly. "I mean he sort of made a pass at me." She glanced up to see his anger building in his eyes.

"What do you mean sort of made a pass? What exactly did he do?"

"Nothing. Sully, don't worry. It wasn't a big deal. He didn't know I was married and he backed off as soon as I explained the situation to him."

"Backed off? What was he on?"

Michaela sighed loudly giving him a pleading look. "I shouldn't have brought it up," she said dismissively but Sully was not ready to let it drop. Standing, he walked across the floor to the dresser and pulled out a pair of sweat pants. "Sully, what are you doing?"

"Gonna go pay Matthew's father a late night visit."